Chicago Sky guard Rebekah Gardner was named to the 2022 WNBA All-Rookie team, the league announced today.
“It’s an honor, especially playing with such great players and such a great rookie class as well,” Gardner said. “I’m happy and excited and what will make it even better is a championship and I’m looking forward to that.
“We’re very excited and happy for Rebekah, this is a big-time accomplishment for her,” General Manager and Head Coach James Wade said. “Not having the opportunity to play in the WNBA for such a long time and then to come in and make an immediate impact says a lot about not only her talent, but her character as a player and her character as a teammate. She’s a big part of our team, a big part of our organization, and a big part of our future.”
Gardner went undrafted out of UCLA in 2012 and has built up an extensive overseas career for the past decade. She played with Spanish women’s basketball club Spar CityLift Girona last year where she averaged 13 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists while seeing about 28 minutes per game. Gardner was named Spanish league MVP and a Spanish Cup Finalist during the 2021-22 season. With the Romanian Club Sepsi SIC, she won the league championship as well as the Romanian Cup Championship. Gardner was also named Eurocup First Team, Israel League First Team, and Israel League Import Player of the Year in 2015-16.
Gardner signed a training camp deal with the Chicago Sky in February this past year. She made her WNBA debut against the New York Liberty where she recorded 14 points, four rebounds, and two steals. Gardner averages 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Among her rookie class, she finished the regular-season at No. 5 in points per game (8.4 ppg), No. 7 in rebounds (3.3 rpg), and No. 9 in assists (1.3 apg). She is also ranked No. 7 in field goal shooting with 54.4% and No. 2 in steals per game at 1.4 spg. Gardner captured her first career double-double while recording career-highs of 18 points and 10 assists on the road against the Los Angeles Sparks on July 14, 2022.
###
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Kelly Kane — Director of Public Relations | kkane@chicagosky.net
Carly Ebisuya — PR Coordinator | cebisuya@chicagosky.net
PRACTICE PHOTOS, B-ROLL, MEDIA ASSETS:
QUESTIONS:
Chicago Sky Media Relations | media@chicagosky.net